Valve lubricating device



Patented Nov. 21, 1933 VALVE LUBRICATING:

Clyde C. Farmer, Pittsburgh, Pa, assignor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 25, 1930 Serial No. 484,280

1 Claim.

This invention relates to fluid compressors and more particularly to the means for lubricating the reversing valves of such compressors.

The principal object of my invention is to provide improved means for lubricating the reversing valve of a fluid compressor,

In the accompanying drawing; Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view, mainly in section, of the re- I versing valve portion of a fluid compressor and showing my improved means for lubricating the reversing valve; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of a bush- I ing for the steam distributionvalve, which bushing is formed in accordance with my invention.

For the purpose of the present invention, it is not deemed necessary to show more than thereversing valve portion of the compressor, since the compressor may be of the well known type commonly employed on locomotives for supplytribution valve device 8 which may comprise a hollow bushing 9 mounted in the casingl.

The steam distribution valve device may also comprise connected pistons 10 and 11 for operating a slide valve 12 contained in a chamber 13 between said pistons, which slide valve is operative to control the admission and exhaust of 1 steam to and from the usual steam piston 14 which operates the fluid compressing piston (not shown), the exhaust of steam from one side or the other of the piston 14 being effected by way of an exhaust port and-passage 15.

The reversing valve 4 is mounted in the bushing 2 to reciprocate vertically and is operated by a rod 16 which is moved up and down by the movement of the piston to opposite ends of its stroke.

According to my invention, the bushing 9 of the steam distribution valve device has an arouate groove 17 formed in its exterior "surface. With the bushing mounted in the casing, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this groove, together with the casing, define a passage through which live steam is supplied from a steam supply pipe and passage 18 to a port 19 open to the reversing valve chamber 3 at a point above the reversing valve 4. The bushing 9 is also provided with a port 20 through which live steam flows from the steam supply passage 18 to the valve chamber 13 in the distributing valve device. In the present embodiment of the invention one end of the groove 17 is open to the port 20.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a portion 21 of the groove 1"! extends in a direction longitudinally of the bushing and this is for the purpose of rendering my improved bushing applicable to a casmg in which the port 19 is located within the length of the portion 21. It will be understood that if there is any other change in the relative locations of the supply passage 18 and the port 19, the shape of the groove 17 may be changed to connect the passage and port.

In the usual well known manner, lubricating oil is fed to the steam supply pipe and passage 18, so that the steam carries lubricating oil, in the form of minute globules in suspension for lubricating the steam cylinder of the compressor.

Steam supplied through the pipe and passage 18 flows to the valve chamber 13 of the steam distribution valve device through the port 20 in the bushing 9 and also flows to the reversing valve chamber 3 through the groove 17 and port 19.

The globules of lubricating oil carried by the steam adheres to and collects on the walls of the passage 17 and when in sufiicient quantity, the oil flows out through the port 19 and into the reversing valve chamber 3 and will then trickle down the valve seat 22 formed on the bushing 2, the area of the walls of the passage 17 being great enough to collect suihcient oil to provide the desired'lubrication of the reversing valve 4.

It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 1 of the drawing, that the bottom of the groove 1'7, at a point where it is intersected by the section line 2-2, is higher than the bottom of the port 19, so that the lubricating oil collected in the groove will flow, by the force of gravity, to the reversing valve chamber 3.

Since this invention relates specifically to the means for lubricating the reversing valve and further, since the compressor is of a well known type, a detailed description of the operation of all of the movable parts of the compressor to control the supply and release of steam is deemed unnecessary.

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit its scope to that embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claim.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a reversing valve portion of a steam driven compressor, the combination with a casing having a steam inlet passage and a valve chamber, of a reversing valve in said chamber, a seat upon which said valve seats, said casinghavingasmall passage open to said seat above said valve adapted to conduct lubricating oil to the seat and steam to said chamber, a steam distribution valve, a, bushing mounted in said casing and having a seat for said distribution valve, and arelatively'large passage in open communication with the steam in- 

